Printing press



Feb. 23, 1943. M. KELLY 2,311,667

PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 27. 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 23, 1943. M. KELLY 2,311,667

PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 27, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a &

Type For:

W. M. KELLY PRINTING PRESS Feb., '23; 1943.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 27-; 1940 Feb. 23, 1943. w KELLY 2,311,667

PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 27, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 [Willie/2211! 129 W. M. KELLEY PRINTING PRESS Feb. 23, 1943.

5 Sheefs-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 2'7. 1940 I i m Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNHTE stares it? FF'EQE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to printing presses. More particularly it has to do with cylinder and bed presses in which a printing form is incorporated therewith in order to obtain a plurality of impressions during a single cycle of operation of the press.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing form for application to a two-revolution cylinder and bed press, whereby such press will be adapted for multi-impression printing in a single cycle of the press.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-revolution cylinder and bed press with a printing form so constructed and arranged with respect to the cylinder that such press will be adapted for two impression printing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-revolution cylinder and bed-press with a cylindrical printing form so associated with the cylinder that it will make three revolutions in a single cycle of the press.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-revolution cylinder and bed-press having a printing form arranged in association with the cylinder which includes a means for rendering the bed inoperative whereby such press may be converted into a single rotary press for one impression printing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a driving mechanism for the bed of a tworevcluticn cylinder and bed press which will impart to it a uniform movement during the im pression stroke and a harmonic movement on the reverse and return stroke.

A further object or the present invention is to provide a driving mechanism for the bed of a tworevolution cylinder and bed press which includes a novel means for rendering it operative or inoperative.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated by Way of example.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a printing press having the structure or" the present invention embodied therein.

Figure 2 is a transverse view, partly in section, taken on the line of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view in plan taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevational View showing the means for connecting the driving gear to the impression cylinder and the mechanism for eiTecting movement of the cylinder toward and from the bed.

Figure 5 is a vertical elevational view taken on the line 5 of Figure 4 with parts omitted for the sake of clarity.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line Ei%i of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section, particularly showing the detachable connection between the supporting frame carrying the printing form and the impression cylinder housings of Figure 1. 7

Referring to the drawings, the numeral H) designates the frame of the printing press which supports the main driving shaft I I, this shaft, Figure 2, having mounted on its outer end a pulley l2 which is driven from a source of power not shown.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the opposite end of the main driving shaft H outside the frame Iii carries a pinion gear l3 which meshes with a large gear i i arranged outside the frame on the outer end of a driving shaft It. The gear l4 meshes with an idler gear l6 arranged on a stud ii. The usual impression cylinder [3, which may be of any preferred construction, is arranged on a shaft it above the bed 25 and is driven by means of gear 2! which meshes with gear iii. It is to be noted that the gear train is so selected that the cylinder gear 2! will make two complete revolutions to one of shaft l5.

Attached to the under side of the bed 28, Figures l and 2, at a point intermediate its sides is a toothed rack 22. Arranged complemental to the rack 22 and secured to the column 23 of the press frame E53 is a toothed rack 24. The racks 22 and 2e are in meshing engagement with a travelling bed drive gear 25 arranged on a stub shaft 26, Figure 3. By inspection of Figure 2, it Will be seen that arranged at a point adjacent the outer ends of the bed 29 and supported by the top of the frame it} are tracks 27 and 28 which extend longitudinally of the bed, said tracks supporting anti-friction rollers 29 and 39, preferably of the slider tyne.

Mounted on the inner end of the driving shaft 15, Figures 1, 2, and 3, and fixedly secured thereto is an element 3!, either in the form of a disk shaped member or an arm. Arranged in complemental relation to the member 3| on the shaft 25 and loosely mounted thereon is a crank arm 32, which is retained on the shaft 15, Figure 3, by means of a keeper plate 39. The crank arm 32 carries a link 33 which is connected to the end of a connecting rod 34 secured to the stub shaft 25 carrying the travelling bed drive gear by means of a wrist pin 35. The inner end of the pin carries a roller 36 rotatably mounted thereon which engages the cam slot 31 of a synchronizing face cam 38 fixedly secured to the inner portion of the frame I6.

Pivotally mounted on the lower end of the crank arm 32, Figures 2 and 3, is a threaded bolt which extends through a slotted opening 4| in the arm 32 and complemental slotted opening 42 in the peripheral surface of the disk member 3| and is locked to the member 3| by means of a threaded nut 43. This clutches the crank arm to the disk member thereby causing the bed to reciprocate. To unclutch the crank arm from the disk member and thereby render the bed inoperative, the nut 43 is turned in a counterclockwise direction suflicient to permit thebolt 48 to swing downwardly and out of engagement with the slotted openings 4| and 42.

As will be observed from Figure 1, while the roller 36 is traversing the lower part of the cam slot 31, the distance of the wrist pin 35 from the axis of the shaft I5 will vary and consequently the velocity imparted to the travelling gear 25 will be in accordance with this varying distance. The lower portion of the cam slot 31 is so designed that the travelling gear 25 will move at a uniform velocity while the roller 36 is traversing this part of the slot and therefore the connecting rod 34 and travelling gear 25 will cooperate to give to the bed 20 the requisite uniform motion on the forward printing stroke. While the roller 36 is traversing the upper portion of the cam slot 31, connecting rod 34 and travelling gear'25 will cooperate to give to the bed 20 harmonic motion on the reverse idle stroke.

By reference to Figures 2 and 4 it will be seen that the shaft |9 of the impression cylinder [8 extends through a housing 44 and is journaled in the concentrically arranged bore in an eccentric 45 mounted with such housing. The eccentric 45 is provided with a sleeve 46, Figure 5, which extends outwardly from the housing 44. It is to be noted that the inner peripheral bore of the sleeve 46 is eccentric while the outer peripheral surface is concentric. Journaled upon the outer concentric surface of the sleeve 46 is the gear 2|. Disposed directly beyond the end of the sleeve 46 and keyed to the shaft I9 is a disk 41 provided with a radial slot 48 in which is mounted a slide block 49. A pin 59 passes through the slide block 49 and is screwed into the side of the gear 2|. During the course of rotative travel of the eccentric 45, the slot 48 moves up and down about the pin 58. Protruding from the other end of the impression cylinder I8 is a shaft 5| which extends through a housing 52 and is journaled in the concentrically arranged bore in an eccentric 53 mounted within such housing. This mounting of the cylinder shafts l9 and 5| is of particular advantage in that it enables the cylinder gear 2| to be maintained concentrically mounted irrespective of the lowering and raising movements of the cylinder with respect to the bed.

To the eccentric 45, Figures 2, 4, and 5, is connected one end of a link 54 by means of a pin 55. The opposite end of the link 54 is in threaded engagement with one end of a turn-buckle 56. The turn-buckle 56 is hexagonal in contour and is provided with locking nuts 6|. In threaded engagement with the other end of the turnbuckle 56 is an end of a link 51 which is connected to an arm 58 secured to one end of a rockshaft 59 by means of a stud 66. Eccentric 53 is connected to an arm 62 secured to the opposite end of the rock-shaft 59 by means of link 63, turn-buckle 64, and link 65. It is to be noted that the connection of the links 63 and 65 to the turn-buckle 64 is the same as that of links 54 and 51 with turn-buckle 56. The arm 62, Figure 3, carries a pin 66 adapted to be engaged by a hook 61, Figure 5, on one end of a link 68 which is pivoted as at E9 to an arm 16 carried by a shaft 1|. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the other end of the link 68 is provided with a weight 12. Mounted on the shaft 1| and secured thereto is an arm 13, said arm carrying a roller 14, Figure 5, which engages the cam slot 15 of a cam 16 rotatably mounted on the driving shaft l5. As will be seen from Figure 5, the rotation of the shaft l5 causes the arms 10 and 13 to be rocked back and forth and so long as the hook 61 is in engagement with the pin 66, the impression cylinder l8 through the eccentrics 45 and 53 will be uniformly raised and lowered in accordance with the reciprocations of the bed 28.

Arranged to the left of the axis of the impression cylinder l8, Figure 1, is a printing form The printing form comprises a supporting frame 18 which carries a plate cylinder 19 having in association therewith a set of inking and inking distributing rolls designated generally by the numeral 88 and an ink fountain 8|. The supporting frame 18 includes a base 82 and, Figure 6, upstanding side members 83 and 84. The base 82 is supported upon slideways or bars 85 and 86, Figure 6, arranged intermediate the feeder frame 81 of the press and the housings 44 and 52' of the impression cylinder l8 and secured thereto as at 98 and 9| as clearly shown in Figure l. Journaled in bearings carried by the top of the upstanding side members 83 and 84 is a shaft 88 on which is rotatably mounted the plate cylinder 19. The bearings are preferably of the conventional split-type as clearly shown in Figure 1 so as to permit the plate cylinder to be demounted and mounted when necessary. Mounted on an end of the shaft 88 and carried thereby is a gear 89 which is in meshing engagement with the impression cylinder gear 2| and is driven thereby. The gear 89 is so selected that it will make three complete revolutions to one of the driving shaft 5. It is to be noted that the circumferential length of the printing surface of the plate cylinder 19 is preferably the same as that of the surface of the impression cylinder as shown in Figure 1. With this construction it is possible to imprint the maximum form capacity of a bed.

The upstanding side members 83 and 84 of the supporting frame 18 are each provided with a flange projecting from the front end thereof which cooperate with a complemental projecting flange from each of the housings 44 and 52 of the impression cylinder I8. Since the structure of these flanges and the means for detachably connecting them together is the same, the structure of only one complemental set of flanges and the means for connecting same will be described. Referring to Figures 1 and 7, the upstanding side member 84 of the supporting frame 18 has a flange 92 provided with a slot 93 which is in complemental relation with a slot 94 in the housing 44. Pivotally mounted on the housing 44 adjacent the slot 94 is a threaded bolt 95 which extends through the slot 94 and the complemental slot 93 in the flange 92 and is locked to the flange 92 by means of a threaded nut 96. Interposed between the complemental slots 93 and 94 and carried by the bolt 95 is a shim or shims 99 for adjustably regulating the degree of engagement of the printing form with the impression cylinder. By this mechanism the supporting frame 18 is connected to the housings 44 and 52 of the impression cylinder, and when so connected the plate cylinder 19 is caused to rotate continuously with the impression cylinder l8 through the medium of. gear 89 and gear 2| about an axis fixed with respect to the axis of the impression cylinder and be in constant printing relation with the impression cylinder. To detach or disconnect the supporting frame 13 from the housing 44 and 52 of the impression cylinder and thereby render the plate cylinder 19 inoperative, the nut 96 is turned in a counterclockwise direction sufiicient to permit the bolt 95 to swing upwardly and out of engagement with the slots 93 and 94, and the supporting frame 18 moved backwardly as a unit toward the feeder frame 81.

As shown in Figure 1, the printing press includes a feed pile table 91 carried by the feeder frame 81 adapted to feed sheets singly from a pile supported thereon to an inclined feed board 98 by which the sheet is conveyed to the impression cylinder IS, the feed board 98 being pivotally mounted to the front of the feeder frame 8-! as at 58. Mounted to the right of the impression cylinder 18 and in association with the reciprocating bed 20 is the conventional inking mechanism IGI. The cylinder is provided with the usual grippers but since they form no part of the present invention it is not deemed necessary to make a showing thereof. The sheet upon reaching the cylinder is taken up by the grippers, and in its course of rotative travel with the impression cylinder receives its initial imprinting irom the type form carried by the bed 20 and its second and final imprinting from the plate cylinder 19, whereupon the grippers release the printed sheet. With the release of such sheet it is deposited upon the tapes I02 and is conveyed by such tapes to a delivery pile not shown.

It is to be noted that the feed pile table 9'! and the supporting frame 18 is so constructed and arranged as to permit access to the plate cylinder 19, set of inking and inking distributing rolls 9& and ink fountain 8!, from the side or feeder frame end of the press. This is of especial advantage in that adjustments can be made to the ink fountain 8| while the plate cylinder 2'? is in operative printing contact with the impression cylinder l3. By raising the feed board it also permits, when the plate cylinder 19 is in inoperative position, adjustments to such cylinder and free access to the impression cylinder l8 for putting on packing and make-ready.

If desired, the printing press thus described may be converted into a single rotary press by releasing the threaded nut 43, Figures 2 and 3, suificiently to permit the bolt 49 to swing downwardly and out of engagement with the slotted opening 4! in the crank. arm 32 and the complemental slotted opening $2 in the disk member 3|, thereby r ndering the bed 23 inoperative. In this instance the sheet carried by the impression cylinder receives its single imprinting from the printing surface of the plate cylinder 19.

It is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments herein illustrated and described without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by-Letters Patent is:

1. In a fiat-bed printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a supporting fram unit, a rotary printing form on said unit to imprint a sheet carried by said impression cylinder, said form and cylinder each having a driving gear, said frame unit being movable toward and from said cylinder in moving the rotary form into and out of printing relation with said impression cylinder, quick detachable couplings for supporting the gears of said cylinder and form in constant mesh, and means for moving the impression cylinder into and out or" printing positions while maintaining constant drive between the cylinder and rotary form through said gears.

2. In a flat-bed printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a supporting frame unit, a rotary printing form on said unit to imprint a sheet carried by said impression cylinder, said form and cylinder each having a driving gear, said frame unit being movable toward and from said cylinder in moving the rotary form into and out of printing relation with said impression cylinder, means adjustably coupling said frame in regulating the relationship of the rotary form with said impression cylinder and in maintaining constant mesh of said gears, and means for moving the impression cylinder into and out of printing positions while maintaining constant drive'between the cylinder and rotary form through said gears.

23. In a fiat-bed printing press, in combination. an impression cylinder, a reciprocating bed cooperating therewith to imprint a sheet carried by said cylinder, a supporting frame unit mounted at one side of said cylinder, a rotary printing form supported by said frame and adapted in one positicn of the frame to imprint the sheet carried by said impression cylinder, means adjustably supporting the frame unit with respect to the cylinder in arranging the rotary form in predetermined printing relation with respect to said cylinder, means providing constant drive between the rotary form and cylinder when the form is in printing position with respect to the cylinder, means for periodically raising and lowering the cylinder with respect to said bed while maintaining constant drive between the cylinder and rotary form, an ink fountain on said unit frame coacting with said rotary form, and a feed board pivotally supported in the press above said frame unit to feed sheets to said impression cylinder while maintaining, through the swinging prop- -rties of the board, access to said ink fountain.

4. In a fiat-bed printing press, in combination a two-revoiution impression cylinder, a threerevolution rotary form cylinder coacting with said impression cylinder only on the printing stroke of said press, said impression cylinder having a surface of circumferential length satisfying the maximum form capacity of the bed, said rotary form cylinder having a printing surface equal in circumferential len th to the surface of said impression cylinder, means maintaining constant drive of said cylinders, said means having relatively fixed axes, and mean actuating the impression cylinder to move the same out of operative engagement with the form cylinder intermediate the strokes of the press.

5. In a fiat-bed printing press, in combination, a flat-bed, a two-revoluticn impression cylinder, a tln'ee-revolution rotary form cylinder coacting 13. In a fiat-bed printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a reciprocating bed cooperating therewith to imprint a sheet carried by said cylinder, a rotary printing form arranged at one side of said cylinder to imprint said sheet in its passage through the press, said impression cylinder having a circumferential surface of a length sufficient to insure imprinting of a sheet to the maximum form capacity of the bed, said rotary form having a circumferential printing surface equal in length to the surface of said cylinder to imprint the sheet corresponding to the maximum form capacity of said bed, one set of inking rolls for the bed disposed at the opposite side of said cylinder, another set of inking rolls for said rotary form at the first-named side of the cylinder, means providing constant drive between the cylinder and rotary form at the ratio of two revolutions of the cylinder to three revolutions of said rotary form, means for moving the impression cylinder into and out of printing position With respect to said bed, and means whereby the drive between the cylinder and rotary form may be disconnected to provide a single imprinting of a sheet passed through the press.

VIILLIAM M. KELLY. 

